•Lament, “We are forced to pay approximately N700,000 for certificate of renunciation”

By UZOMA AHAMEFULE

Some faceless but highly connected individuals in the Ministry of Interior Abuja are powerfully networking like drug cartels in frustrating the lives of Nigerians in Diaspora for monetary gain – Nigerians in Austria alleged. This group of “people has excruciatingly and miserably made lives unbearable for some of us Nigerians in Austria seeking to obtain just one document that should enable us to process the application of getting the Austrian citizenship,” one of the applicants said.

Before now Nigerians in Austria paid €200 for the certificate of renunciation which was issued by the authority of the Nigerian Embassy in Vienna. It was later increased to €300. At some points this certificate as signed and issued by the embassy was no longer admissible by the Austrian authority unless it came from Abuja. This prompted the decision to move the approval of the application to Abuja that has now ushered in exorbitant hike, alleged exploitation, frustrating processes and pains to Nigerians.

Painstaking investigation currently showed that every applicant from Austria who wants this document must spend approximately N700,000. The charges by these syndicates differ from individual to individual. However all applicants pay N450,000, money these syndicates claim to be official that cannot be negotiated in the name of “remittance fee”. An approval fee is N50,000, with extra N25 000 added to it, making it a total of N75,000. For helping the applicant to a successful application and approval of the certificate, N150,000 is charged for the services rendered in the name of “administrative fee” – and must be paid cash. So the total amount sums up to N675,000. This is the amount of money one must spend before getting the document. Again, it all depends on the source of applicant’s connection for every applicant may be required to pay extra N50,000 or N70,000, money claimed that was meant for the courier of the document to the applicant. Please see attached screenshot from the website of the Ministry of Interior showing how much one is supposed to spend for the certificate of renunciation. The website says N500,000 – link to the site https://ecitibiz.interior.gov.ng/citizenship/feesdetails (last accessed 24.06.2023, 11:35 am).

In the quest for truth, a credible and authentic report, I called many Nigerian Embassies in Europe – Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, London and France – inquiring on how to obtain the same renunciation document that is not possible at the Nigerian Embassy here in Vienna, Austria. While some embassies did not pick the call, some that did were ready to start the process of issuing the document, but the only hindrance was that I was not a resident in their countries. I was dazed and curious, because the responses arouse vital questions. Is the policy of issuing this document only in Abuja applicable to all the Nigerian embassies? Or, could it be that those receptionists that picked my call at some of these embassies were not aware that the approval of this certificate happens only in Abuja after the signature of the president?

Further enquiries revealed that for a Nigerian living in Austria to successfully apply for this document and get it as when due, he/she must go through someone from this group of people because it is easier for a camel to pass through the eyes of a needle than that person being successful trying on his/her own through online application. For this reason, some applicants who have applied for the document on their own for more than one year now without any hope on sight are frustratedly and disappointedly in panic because they are running out of time, others who could afford the alleged exorbitant charges have – out of fear of failure – paid the syndicates to process the document for them. Two persons I know have indefinitely suspended the idea of applying because they cannot afford it at the moment. This common sheet of paper has kept those seeking for it into perpetual misery since the responsibility of issuing it was withdrawn from the embassy in Vienna and taken to Abuja.

Many Nigerian leaders detest working in a harmonic atmosphere and transparent environment, because in a situation where there is no chaos they create one, invent pandemonium and brouhaha since their deception, fraud and illegalities flourish in times of confusion and their pockets swell in moments of our sorrows, cries and agonies. Perhaps someone saw a loophole, capitalized on it and influenced the issuing of this document out of the embassy to Abuja in order to make money. Aptly, anytime Nigerians are crying, some privileged animals are smiling because of the same anguish. They have no conscience and have killed patriotism. Many of them are like white imperialists who genuinely do not want stability, peace and progress in Africa but pretentiously behave like an epitome of love and friendship to Africa so that they could continue to feed fat from African natural resources at the detriment and agony of Africans.

If what is going on now is a policy, please it does not portray a good image. It has no human face and shows no atom of compassion if it is true that when one does not play game as alleged his/her document gets abandoned.

As Nigerians in Austria humbly appeal to the Federal Government of President Tinubu for his urgent attention to their plights, I appeal that we Nigerians in our various capacities sincerely and proudly do what we can in making Nigeria that great country we all desire and aspire. I plead with all, especially the Nigerian journalists – online, print media and broadcasting houses – to please help Nigerians in Austria and re-echo their cries and sufferings. It is a patriotic call for the interest of all patriots.

The idea of the certificate being issued only in Nigeria should please be completely expunged because it has not helped our situation. It has brought misery and anger to us, and opprobrium to the government. We need to be pragmatic. One of the reasons that delay issuing the document that investigations established – apart from the vested interests – was that the president hardly had the time to sign it. We have crucial problems facing us as a country that need the urgent attention of the President more than the signing of certificates of renunciation. Therefore, the responsibility should please not be dumped on the desk of Mr. President. It will be efficiently effective if this obligation is given to the Nigerian Embassies with an agreed standard amount for all.

Please help us. It is also not easy for us Nigerians in Diaspora. We are equally suffering.

•Uzoma Ahamefule, a concerned patriotic citizen and a refined African traditionalist, writes from Vienna, Austria. He can be reached via uzomaah@yahoo.com

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